THEY’VE been hailed as miracle weight-loss jabs – but the effects of Ozempic-style drugs could go far beyond the waistline.
New research suggests these so-called “skinny pens” may also supercharge your brain and protect against two killer diseases.
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Fat jabs could keep your brain healthy, experts saysCredit: Getty
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The popular medicines could reduce the risk of demenita and strokeCredit: Getty
Scientists from Taiwan found that these fat-busting jabs may help lower the chances of developing dementia and stroke.
People with type 2 diabetes and obesity who took the drugs were also less likely to die early, the researchers discovered.
While everyone knows these drugs, like Wegovy and Mounjaro, help with weight and blood sugar control, experts say some of their other benefits are still a bit of a mystery.
For the study, published in JAMA Network Open, experts from Chang Gung Memorial Hospital looked at data from 60,000 people around the world.
The average age was 58 and all had type 2 diabetes and obesity.
About half of the group were given drugs called GLP1-RAs. These include semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) to manage their diabetes.
Semaglutide is also the main ingredient in the popular diabetes drug Ozempic, which is licensed for diabetes, while Wegovy is licensed for weight loss.
These drugs work by lowering appetite, slowing digestion, reducing sugar production in the liver, and helping the body make more insulin when needed.
The other half of the participants were on different diabetes medications.
After following everyone for seven years, the researchers found the people using GLP1-RAs had a 37 percent lower risk of dementia and were 19 percent less likely to have a stroke.
Weight Loss Jabs – Pros vs Cons
These conditions are often called silent killers because they can creep up without obvious symptoms until it’s too late.
The experts also found those on the drugs were 30 per cent less likely to die during the study period.
The team saw even bigger benefits in people over 60, women, and those with a body mass index between 30 and 40.
There was no difference in the chances of Parkinson’s disease or brain bleeds between the groups.
The academics said their findings suggest “potential neuroprotective and cerebrovascular benefits” of the drugs but they called for more studies to confirm the research.
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Wegovy and Mounjaro are already hailed as wonder drugs for blood sugar control and dramatic weight losCredit: Alamy
“These findings suggest that semaglutide and tirzepatide may offer neuroprotective and cerebrovascular benefits beyond glycemic control, potentially improving long-term cognitive and survival outcomes in adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity,” they wrote.
Commenting on the study, Professor Tara Spires-Jones, from the University of Edinburgh, said: “This is a very interesting study adding to evidence that GLP1 receptor agonists are associated with a lower risk of dementia in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity.
“This type of study cannot determine whether the drugs reduced disease risk by directly protecting the brain.
“It is highly likely that effectively treating type 2 diabetes and obesity would reduce dementia and stroke risk as they are known risk factors for these conditions.
“Further work is needed including randomised clinical trials to confirm these drugs are protective in people with diabetes and obesity and other trials are needed to determine whether these drugs will be protective in people who do not have type 2 diabetes and obesity.”
‘This is a really exciting ‘
Dr Richard Oakley, from the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “It is well established that diabetes and obesity can increase your risk of developing dementia.
“This study supports existing evidence that shows these drugs may reduce dementia risk, particularly for people aged 60 and over who are living with type 2 diabetes and obesity.
“Although interesting, we can’t draw conclusions from this study alone as it is an observational study, only a small number of people who took part went on to develop dementia and as the impact of these drugs on different types of dementia is not clear.
“There are clinical trials currently looking at whether drugs like these can be used to treat early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, so this is a really exciting area being explored in the research fight against dementia.”
Everything you need to know about fat jabs
Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases.
Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK.
Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market.
Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year.
How do they work?
The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight.
They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists.
They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients’ sugar levels are too high.
Can I get them?
NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics.
Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure.
GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss.
Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk.
Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health.
Are there any risks?
Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild.
Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at patient.info, said: “One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.”
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients’ mental health.
Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines